Wake County staff on April 7 presented updated seven-year capital totals for the county’s two largest education-related capital programs: Wake County Public Schools and Wake Tech.

Molly Marcarelli said Wake Tech’s proposed seven-year capital program totals about $425.8 million, with approximately $410 million planned as debt and $16 million as cash. The county’s proposed seven-year plan for Wake County Public Schools totals about $2.9 billion, primarily debt-funded. Marcarelli told the board the county is statutorily responsible for supporting Wake Tech and K–12 school facilities.

Todd Taylor, director of finance, summarized the county’s proposed funding plan: officials expect to pursue a combined education bond on the November 2026 ballot. Taylor said the combined November 2026 bond estimate for schools and Wake Tech is about $842.65 million and that the estimated tax impact to support that component is roughly a half-penny; staff currently estimate the public schools portion would be about $698.6 million (roughly four-tenths of a penny) and Wake Tech about $144.05 million (about one-tenth of a penny).

Taylor said the county will use a draw-program approach over the next two fiscal years for school and Wake Tech debt funding and will bring an RFP for that program to the board for approval this summer. He also noted that Wake Tech’s capital requests reflect the institution’s project timing: after a period of heavy capital spending earlier in the prior seven-year cycle, Wake Tech’s requests dip mid-cycle and then increase later in the plan for planned campus work.

Emily, a county staff member coordinating scheduling, said the joint facilities team meets regularly and that the school system’s final capital plan will be presented to the board after the school board votes on its plan (the school board’s facilities approval was scheduled in the days following the county work session). Commissioners were also asked to submit any specific questions for Wake Tech or the school system by April 25 so staff can share them with the partners ahead of a May 12 work session.

No formal vote occurred in the work session; staff said the manager will include the balanced capital plan in the manager’s recommended FY2026 budget presentation on May 5 and the county will continue to coordinate with Wake Tech and the school system on timing and scope.